Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 3130’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘COSEH 3130’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; single white-colored flowers proximally with dense greyed purple-colored spots; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus niger X Helleborus x hybridus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COSEH 3130’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHelleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger X Helleborus xhybridus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘COSEH 3130’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new uniform Helleborus plants with uniqueand attractive plant habit, leaf and flower coloration and resistance topests common to Helleborus plants.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conductedby the Inventor in Glandorf, Germany in 2010 of a unnamed selection ofHelleborus niger, not patented, as the female, or seed parent and anunnamed selection of Helleborus x hybridus, not patented, as the male,or pollen parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Glandorf, Germany in 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by divisions in acontrolled environment in Glandorf, Germany since 2013 has shown thatthe unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘COSEH 3130’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘COSEH 3130’ as a new and distinct Helleborusplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and mounding plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Single white-colored flowers proximally with dense greyed        purple-colored spots.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Helleborus and the parent selections differ primarilyin flower color as plants of the female parent selection have flowersthat are solid white in color and plants of the male parent selectionhave flowers that are white with darker-colored spots.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborusorientalis ‘HLR 160’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,504. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helleborus differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘HLR 160’ in flower color as plants of ‘HLR 160’ haveflowers with denser greyed purple-colored spots present on a larger areaof the sepals. In addition, plants of ‘HLR 160’ do not “pink” under lowtemperature conditions whereas plants of ‘COSEH 3130’ will “pink” underlow temperature conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘COSEH 3130’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersand flower buds of ‘COSEH 3130’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter in 15-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Glandorf, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 32° C.and night temperatures ranged from 3° C. to 18° C. Plants were 14 monthsold when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus niger X Helleborus x hybridus    ‘COSEH 3130’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed selection of Helleborus            niger, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Helleborus x            hybridus, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—In vitro rhizome culture.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two months at            temperatures about 12° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six            months at temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 15° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to thin, fleshy; typically white to            brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; relatively            compact, upright and mounding plant habit with flowers held            above the foliar plane; plant shape, roughly flattened            globular; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth            rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.2            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 28.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 45.4 cm.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged in a basal rosette; leaves            palmately compound with typically seven leaflets per leaf.        -   Leaf length.—About 16.9 cm.        -   Leaf width.—About 18.3 cm.        -   Leaflet length.—About 10.5 cm.        -   Leaflet width.—About 4.9 cm.        -   Leaf shape.—Palmate; reniform in outline.        -   Leaflet shape.—Obovate to elliptic.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet base.—Attenuate.        -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate; lowest leaflets occasionally cleft.        -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            moderately leathery; moderately glossy.        -   Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            moderately leathery; slightly glossy.        -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaflets, upper surface: Close to            137B. Developing leaflets, lower surface: Close to 146A to            146B. Fully developed leaflets, upper surface: Close to            darker than between 147A and N189A; venation, close to 137B.            Fully developed leaflets, lower surface: Close to 143B;            venation, close to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 14.6 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 143A to 143B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers; arranged            solitary or in small clusters with about three flowers each;            freely flowering habit with about 45 flowers developing per            plant; flowers facing outwardly to nodding.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about ten            months after planting; plants flower during the winter in            Germany.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; sepals            persistent, other flower parts not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: Close to 145C to 145D heavily tinged with close to            182B and 183D.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 14.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 12.6 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 7.7 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.7 cm.        -   Petals.—Transformed into nectaries.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About five, arranged in a            single whorl. Length: About 4.3 cm. Width: About 4.2 cm.            Shape: Broadly ovate, slightly concave. Apex: Obtuse. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire; very slightly undulate. Texture and            luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to between 69C to            69D and N155C; proximally, densely covered with spots, close            to 187B and 187C. When opening, lower surface: Close to            between 69B and 181D. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            NN155D; proximally, densely covered with spots, close to            187D. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to N155B; central            blotch, close to 186D; venation, close to 63B.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: Typically one. Length:            About 5.8 cm. Width: About 5.8 cm. Shape: Palmate to            trifoliate. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin:            Entire; distally, serrate; slightly undulate. Color, upper            surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B;            main vein, close to 178A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 25.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm to            7 mm. Aspect: About 10° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.            Color: Close to 144A; densely covered and flushed with close            to 182B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Aspect: About 25° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:            Close to 197A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 120. Filament length: About 1.6 cm. Filament color:            Close to 155B. Anther shape: Reniform; basifixed. Anther            size: About 1.5 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 1C.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils:            Quantity per flower: About six. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm.            Stigma diameter: About 0.3 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped.            Stigma color: Close to 157A. Style length: About 1.25 cm.            Style color: Close to 185C. Ovary color: Close to 146D.            Nectaries (transformed petals): Quantity per flower: About            13 to 15. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Shape:            Tubular, flattened. Texture and luster, inner and outer            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, immature, inner            and outer surfaces: Close to 143C. Color, mature, inner and            outer surfaces: Close to N144B; towards the base, close to            152B to 152C; color becoming closer to 151A with subsequent            development.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Helleborus to date.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and to be    suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Helleborus have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Helleborus plants to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘COSEH 3130’as illustrated and described.